Best Ecology Programs in the Northeast (2026)
Updated
Part of Best Biological Sciences Colleges in the Northeast
Regional list from Best Ecology Programs in the United States
This page ranks the 19 Ecology programs in the Northeast by the median earnings of Ecology graduates four years after completing, highest first. New York University leads the list with median earnings of $65,406 for its graduates four years after completing, followed by Connecticut College at $62,925 and Princeton University at $62,344.
The figures span from $65,406 to $22,667, with a median of $48,446 across the listed programs. For 4 of the 19 programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
The list includes 8 public and 11 private nonprofit institutions. Princeton University posts the lowest average net price at $6,128, while Rutgers University-New Brunswick ranks 30th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.
East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania reports the highest admission rate, admitting 92% of applicants.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York University · New York, NY | $65,406 | $37,050 | $16,977 | 9.2% |
| New York University reports $65,406 in median earnings for its Ecology graduates four years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 9%. | |||||
| 2 | Connecticut College · New London, CT | $62,925 | $36,175 | $13,341 | 37.0% |
| Connecticut College ranks 2nd on this list, with median federal debt of $25,979 among Ecology completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 3 | Princeton University · Princeton, NJ | $62,344 | $6,128 | $41 | 4.6% |
| Princeton University posts an average net price of $6,128, the lowest on the page, and a school-wide median federal debt of $10,320 across all of its borrowers who completed. | |||||
| 4 | Boston University · Boston, MA | $57,967 | $24,402 | $9,500 | 11.1% |
| Boston University shows $57,967 in median earnings for its Ecology graduates four years after completing, with 26 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 5 | Stony Brook University · Stony Brook, NY | $53,747 | $18,784 | $12,943 | 49.0% |
| A public university in Stony Brook, Stony Brook University admits 49% of applicants and reports median earnings of $53,747 for its Ecology graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 6 | University of Connecticut · Storrs, CT | $52,766 | $25,097 | $15,193 | 52.4% |
| University of Connecticut ranks 105th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and carries median federal debt of $26,012 among Ecology completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 7 | Roger Williams University · Bristol, RI | $51,857 | $37,999 | $29,778 | 87.7% |
| Roger Williams University reports median earnings of $51,857 for its Ecology graduates four years after completing, with an admission rate of 88%. | |||||
| 8 | SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry · Syracuse, NY | $50,010 | $18,952 | $9,473 | 63.3% |
| SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry lists a school-wide median federal debt of $11,000 across all of its borrowers who completed, and an average net price of $18,952. | |||||
| 9 | University of New England · Biddeford, ME | $48,592 | $38,107 | $31,371 | 91.6% |
| University of New England ranks 9th on this list, with median earnings of $48,592 for its Ecology graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 10 | University of Rhode Island · Kingston, RI | $48,446 | $21,440 | $14,368 | 72.2% |
| An average net price of $21,440 and median federal debt of $20,500 among Ecology completers who borrowed are reported by University of Rhode Island. | |||||
| 11 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick · New Brunswick, NJ | $47,553 | $24,406 | $16,343 | 58.2% |
| Rutgers University-New Brunswick holds the strongest Azimuth composite rank on the page, 30th among nonprofit four-year institutions, and reports median earnings of $47,553 for its Ecology graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 12 | University of New Haven · West Haven, CT | $45,115 | $34,192 | $27,837 | 60.4% |
| University of New Haven admits 60% of applicants and reports median earnings of $45,115 for its Ecology graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 13 | Stockton University · Galloway, NJ | $44,981 | $20,670 | $15,135 | 88.9% |
| Stockton University reports median earnings of $44,981 for its Ecology graduates four years after completing, with a cohort of 38 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 14 | Unity Environmental University · New Gloucester, ME | $44,652 | $19,104 | $18,370 | Not reported |
| A private nonprofit institution in New Gloucester, Unity Environmental University carries an average net price of $19,104 and an Azimuth composite rank of 372nd among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 15 | State University of New York at Plattsburgh · Plattsburgh, NY | $44,153 | $17,156 | $9,400 | 78.4% |
| State University of New York at Plattsburgh admits 78% of applicants and shows median earnings of $44,153 for its Ecology graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 16 | Harvard University · Cambridge, MA | $42,682 | $19,066 | $8,697 | 3.7% |
| Harvard University posts an admission rate of 4% and an average net price of $8,697 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 17 | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania · East Stroudsburg, PA | $33,281 | $18,134 | $15,365 | 92.1% |
| East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania ranks 17th on this list, with an admission rate of 92% and an Azimuth composite rank of 472nd among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 18 | Yale University · New Haven, CT | $30,771 | $23,777 | $17,633 | 3.9% |
| Yale University reports median earnings of $30,771 for its Ecology graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $23,777. | |||||
| 19 | Monmouth University · West Long Branch, NJ | $22,667 | $30,988 | $18,924 | 89.0% |
| Monmouth University reports median earnings of $22,667 for its Ecology graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $30,988. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Ecology graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in the Northeast appear. The figures are medians for federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after completing. For 4 of the 19 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The spread from New York University to the lowest-ranked program is $42,739, with a gap of $2,481 between New York University and Connecticut College.
Related rankings
- Best Ecology Programs in the United States
- Best Colleges in the Northeast
- Best Ecology Programs in the Midwest
- Best Ecology Programs in the South
- Best Ecology Programs in the West
- Best Biological Sciences Colleges in the Northeast
- Biological Sciences Colleges in the Northeast for Social Mobility